Apparatus for unloading liquid containers



Sept. 29, 1936. J. J. TOKHEIM 2,055,954

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 5, 1954 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 29, 1936- J. J. TOKHEIM v APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING LIQUID QONTAI NERS Filed Feb. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JJTbkhim,

Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES FOR- UNLOADING LIQUID CONTAINERS APPARATUS John J. Tokheim, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application February 5, 1934, Serial 7N0. 709,847

'2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for removing or withdrawing liquid from the top of storage containers, and has particular utility in the unloading of tank cars, compartment trucks, and the like.

To effect the removal or withdrawal of liquid from storage containers, it is necessary in many cases to remove the liquid from the top of the containers instead of drawing it off. from the-bot tom. This is particularly true in the case of tank cars containing gasoline or, other volatile liquids, and in fact .some jurisdictions require by law that no other method be employed. Heretofore, it has been the general custom to use pumps for. this purpose, ,even where the liquid removed fromv the tankis discharged into" underground storage tanks. This practice is open to the two-fold objection of the expense ofrunning one or more pumps, and keeping the same properly primed, due to the tendency of the liquid to gasify and stop the operation of the pump.

Accordingly, the present invention has primarily in view the provision of an apparatus operating on the principle of a'siphon which will not only render the use of expensive pumping equipment unnecessary in cases where the liquid is to be discharged to a lower level than that in which it is stored, thereby eliminating the objections above noted and making it unnecessary to install auxiliary pumps and consequently reducing generally the fire hazard incident to the operation of pumping apparatus employed for the purpose. v v

' Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus including a novelsiphon head which not only permits the operator to View the status of the liquid passing through the device but also provides for the elimination of an air or gas lock in the discharge line by connecting the head to a source of vacuum supply, while at-the same time the siphon chamber of the head may be vented to the atmosphere to break the siphon, when desired, to :stop the flow in the discharge line, thereby giving the operator complete control of the unloading operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and reliable construction which may not only be used in connection with a single storage tank, but by simple modification may :be adapted to siphonout the contents of a plurality of tanks, as for example trucks or cars having multiple compartments. 3

With the above and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the natureof. the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

A preferred and'practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:--

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application of the invention to a storage tank car.

. Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the body of the apparatus including the visible siphon head.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the intake end of the body of the apparatus. .Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of head adapted for use in connection with multiple storage compartments.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that the body of the apparatus is designated generally as A, the same being surmounted by a siphon head B having a transparent wall, the said head also being provided with a valved connection C and communicating with a discharge pipe D having the control valve E at '30 the end thereof. In the selected illustration, the invention is shown in connection with a tank car T whose contents are to be removed through the top filling opening to be conveyed through the pipe arrangement F to a suitable underground storage tank or pump suction pipe.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and '2, the body A essentially comprises a hollow tubular member or pipe 1 provided at its lower end with a mouthpiece 2 having the 40 projections 3 for supporting the same above the bottom of the vessel or tank, said mouthpiece 2 is also preferably provided with a screen 4 held in position by any suitable and convenient means such as a resilient locking ring 5.

The upper end of the pipe I constituting the body of the apparatus carries the siphon head B previously referred to, the said head including in its organization, the bottom casting 6 which is telescoped over the upper end of the pipe I to 50 provide an annular chamber 1 which communicates with the outlet nipple 8. The upper edge of the casting 6 is preferably recessed as indicated at 9 to receive a gasket I0 engaged by the lower end of a tubular glass or other transparent ,55

cylindrical member I2 whose upper end is in turn fitted within the recess I3 and against the gasket I4 of a cap or top casting I5. The bottom casting or base 6 and the top casting or cap I5 are held in assembled relation by suitable fastening bolts IT.

The cap I5 is preferably of the general form of a plate which provides an interior wall I8 having a port I9 communicating with the connection C and controlled by the end of the valve stem 20. The latter preferably operates in a chamber 2I formed in the cap I5 and is provided with an exterior operating handle 22 preferably in the form of a disk.

The connection C previously referred to, may be opened to the atmosphere or connected with a suitable vacuum pump as will presently appear.

The outlet nipple 8 of the bottom casting or base 6 is connected with the discharge line or hose D as shown in Figure 1, and the latter is provided with the valve E which is closed when the apparatus is first installed to permit of the vacuum applied to the apparatus to fill the pipe I, siphon head B and the hose D.

Any suitable and convenient means may be employed for applying a vacuum to the siphon head B. For example, the apparatus P shown in my Patent No. 1,844,614, dated February 9, 1932 may be used for that purpose, as shown in Figure 1. If desired, the apparatus referred to may be used to draw off water or sediment from the storage tank by attaching the tube or hose :c, as shown by the dotted lines at, with the pipe 11. Since the apparatus of my former patent is essentially a vacuum pump, the said tube in may be attached to the connection C of the siphon head and, by opening the valve 2ll-22 fluid may be caused to rise in the pipe I and thereby fill the hose or discharge line D until suflicient liquid is drawn into the apparatus to be seen through the transparent wall I2 of the siphon head and fill the siphon chamber. When the apparatus is thus primed by the use of a vacuum pump, which only requires a few minutes, the valve 20-22 operating over port I9 may be closed. Upon opening the discharge or drain valve E, the contents of the tank T will be siphoned from the tank and transferred to another place of storage.

In the event that the apparatus is used with a volatile liquid such as gasoline, and gas or air accumulates within the siphon chamber which includes the transparent member I2, such condition will be readily apparent to the operator. By slightly opening the valve 2022 the air or gas may be drawn oil by the pump P, thus maintaining the efficiency of the apparatus under all conditions of use. Gasification of the volatile liquid is likely to occur on hot days and, therefore, the visible siphon-head is an important factor in the efficient operation of the apparatus.

Not only does the valve 2022 serve as a means for controlling the vacuum applied to the apparatus, but also if it should be desirable or necessary to stop the siphonic flow through the apparatus, it is only necessary to disconnect the pump and open the valve 20-22 to the atmosphere to break the siphon. Thus, the operator is provided with a control for siphonic fiow in addition to the valve E. The valve E may be used to cut off the flow when desired and still maintain the apparatus properly primed, but if the occasion arises, the siphonic flow may be broken by venting the visible chamber I2 to the atmosphere.

In connection with the siphon head construction, it may be pointed out that the reason for carrying the upper end of the pipe I upwardly beyond the bottom of the casting 6 and above the outlet spout 8, is to separate and trap the gas vapors created by the vacuum lift of the gasoline in the pipe, above outlet spout 8, so that the flow of liquid will be continuous after siphonic action has been started. By bringing in the gasoline and vapors above the outlet 8, the vapor or air is trapped in the glass chamber I2 and only liquid passes down the discharge spout 8 until chamber I2 becomes full of air or vapor. Before the chamber I2 is entirely filled with air or vapor it is necessary to pump the same out by the use of the vacuum pump P. To do this, it is necessary first to create a vacuum in the glass bowl of the pump or extractor P, and then for an instant, open valve I9, whereupon air or vapor in the chamber I2 will be immediately transferred to the glass bowl of the extractor pump P. Obviously, when the air or vapor is extracted the chamber I2 will fill with liquid. In hot weather, due to gasoline turning into vapor, it may be necessary to repeat this extracting operation several times in unloading a tank car of high test gasoline to prevent what is known as an air lock in the suction line or vapor head. With the valve I9 and pump bowl faucet open, the siphon would be broken instantly without disconnecting the tube a: at C.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates a slightly modified form of siphon head. As will be observed from the construction shown in this figure, the siphon head B is provided with the transparent wall I I and the cap is provided with the connection C. Essentially, the construction and function of the head B is the same as the siphon head 13. However, the base or bottom casting 6 is modified to the extent that the outlet connection 8 is at the bottom of the casting while the hollow members or pipes which communicate with the liquid storage space of the tank are horizontally disposed and designated as I and I respectively. The outlet 8 leads to a valved drain pipe and when the valve therein is closed and the members I- and I are disposed in the liquid of the tanks, a source of vacuum may be applied to the connection C to prime the apparatus. In this arrangement it may be advantageous to dispense with the combined vacuum and vent valve in the cap of the siphon head and dispose the same elsewhere in the line C which is attached to the connection C which is in communication with the siphon chamber, the same as in Figure 1. When the device according to this construction is connected with a plurality of tank compartments through the hollow members I and I the valve E connected with the drain pipe 8 may be closed and the pipes I and I evacuated to draw the liquid into the head B. When the apparatus is thus primed, the valve E connected with the outlet I3 may be opened and the liquid will be siphoned from the several compartments.

While the invention has been particularly described in connection with the unloading of tanks or compartments of the type storing a volatile hydrocarbon, nevertheless, it will be apparent that the principles of the invention may be applied to the removal of other liquids from containers in a simple and expeditious manner.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. Apparatus for transferring volatile liquids by siphonic action from storage vessels without interruption or diminution of flow capacity due to air or gas locks forming in the highest point of the apparatus comprising, in combination, a liquid intake pipe having a lower open end adapted to be submerged in the liquid to be transferred, a siphon head at the upper end of said pipe and disposed at the highest point of the apparatus, said siphon head comprising a hollow base having the top portion of the inlet pipe extending upwardly through the bottom thereof, a discharge pipe connected with said base below the top of the inlet pipe, a hollow transparent member seated at its bottom edge on said bottom base so as to form an upward extension thereof, a closure cap for the top of said transparent member and cooperating therewith to provide an air or gas and fluid separating chamber at the highest point of the apparatus, said closure cap having a hollow boss housing a valved port in the cap which port communicates with the said chamber, and said boss formed for connection with a source of vacuum whereby air or gas may be removed from said separating chamber upon opening the valved port.

2. Apparatus for transferring volatile liquids by siphonic action from a storage vessel including a fluid conduit comprising a rigid stand pipe having its lower open end adapted to be submerged in the liquid of the storage vessel and a flexible hose adapted to have its discharge end disposed at a point below the open end of the stand pipe, and a siphon head located at the junction of said flexible hose and stand pipe, said siphon head including a liquid and gas separating chamber located at the highest point of the conduit comprising said hose and pipe, and means on the top of the siphon head for removing the air or gas from said chamber without interruption or diminution of siphonic flow in the said fluid conduit, said means including a metal cap having a port opening into the separating chamber, a hollow connection formed integrally with the cap over the port and adapted to be placed in communication with a source of vacuum, and a valve for controlling said port having an external operating connection whereby when said valve is opened, the said operating chamber may be placed in communication with a source of vacuum to remove the separated air or gas from the chamber and maintain continuous siphonic flow.

JOHN J. TOKHEIM. 

